Honeycomb structure

ABSTRACT

A honeycomb structure includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having a porous partition wall. The honeycomb structure body includes a plurality of cells defined by the partition wall so as to extend from a first end face to a second end face of the honeycomb structure body, the partition wall is formed by a porous body including a silicon phase as a main phase and an oxide, and the oxide includes a first oxide made of an alkali earth metal oxide, Al 2 O 3 , and SiO 2 .

The present application is an application based on JP 2015-058566 filed on Mar./20/2015 with the Japan Patent Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to honeycomb structures. More particularly the present invention relates to a honeycomb structure with low heat capacity and high thermal diffusivity and that follows the ambient temperature change rapidly.

2. Description of the Related Art

Exhaust gas emitted from an internal combustion engine, such as a diesel engine and a gasoline engine, or various types of combustion devices contain a lot of particulate substances (hereinafter called “particulate matter” or “PM” as well) mainly containing soot. If this PM is discharged directly to the air, environment pollution will be caused, and so an exhaust system for exhaust gas includes a particulate filter to trap PM. For instance, examples of a particulate filter used to purify exhaust gas emitted from a diesel engine or a gasoline engine include a diesel particulate filter (DPF) or a gasoline particulate filter (GPF). Such a DPF or a GPF includes a honeycomb structure, for example, having a porous partition wall defining a plurality of cells serving as a through channel of exhaust gas.

The exhaust gas as stated above contains harmful substances, such as NOx, CO and HC as well. In order to reduce the amount of harmful substances in exhaust gas to purify the exhaust gas, catalyst reactions are widely used. For the purification of exhaust gas using such a catalyst reaction, a honeycomb structure is used as a catalyst carrier to load a catalyst.

As the honeycomb structure, there is proposed, for example, a honeycomb structure formed by a porous sintered body which contains silicon as a main component where silicon components are covalently bonded, and which has the porosity of 20 to 70% (see Patent Document 1, for example). Moreover, as the honeycomb structure, there is proposed another honeycomb structure which includes refractory particles as aggregate and metallic silicon, and which is porous and has the porosity in the range of 30 to 90% (see Patent Document 2, for example). The honeycomb structure described in Patent Document 2 has a structure in which the refractory particles are bonded together by means of metallic silicon partially at the surface of the refractory particles, and the content of the metallic silicon is within the range of 10 to 45% by weight with respect to the total amount of the refractory particle and the metallic silicon.

Another honeycomb structure functioning as a heater as well as the catalyst carrier also is proposed (see Patent Document 3, for example). For instance, the honeycomb structure described in Patent Document 3 includes a honeycomb structure body having a partition wall and a circumferential wall, and a pair of electrode members disposed laterally on the honeycomb structure body. This honeycomb structure is configured so that, when electricity is applied to the pair of electrode members, the honeycomb structure body produces heat. In the honeycomb structure described in Patent Document 3, the partition wall and the circumferential wall contain silicon carbide particles as the aggregate and silicon as the bonding agent to bond the silicon carbide particles. Then, in order to exert appropriate heat-production characteristics, the honeycomb structure body has volume resistivity at 400° C. that is 1 to 40 Ωcm, and the electrode members have volume resistivity at 400° C. that is 40% or less of the volume resistivity of the honeycomb structure body at 400° C.

Herein since pressure loss increases gradually over time in the honeycomb filters, such as DPF, due to PM deposited inside of the filter, regeneration of such a filter in which PM deposited inside of the honeycomb filter is combusted for removal is often performed in a periodical interval. For instance, as a method for regeneration of a DPF, a regeneration method is known, including raising the temperature of exhaust gas emitted from an engine, and heating the DPF using the high-temperature exhaust gas. As a method for raising the temperature of exhaust gas, an example of the method includes post-injection to temporarily inject fuel excessively at the latter half of the explosion stroke or at the exhaust stroke so as to combust the excessive fuel and so raise the temperature of the exhaust gas. Then, when a honeycomb filter is regenerated by the regeneration method as stated above, it is desirable that the honeycomb filter follow rapidly the ambient temperature change in terms of improvement of fuel efficiency. In order to allow the honeycomb filter to follow the ambient temperature change rapidly, a method of controlling the heat capacity or the thermal diffusivity of the honeycomb filter can be considered, for example.

-   [Patent Document 1] JP-A-2014-193782 -   [Patent Document 2] JP-B-4136319 -   [Patent Document 3] WO 2011/043434

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Herein, in order to control the heat capacity or the thermal diffusivity of a porous sintered body containing silicon as a main component, the porosity thereof has to be controlled. A porous sintered body containing silicon as a main component, however, has a problem that sintering due to surface diffusion occurs preferentially over sintering due to volume diffusion, and so it is difficult to lower the porosity. The honeycomb structure described in Patent Document 1 includes metals such as Al, Fe, Ni, Ti, B, P, and Ca as sintering aid so as to obtain a porous sintered body containing silicon as a main component. Such sintering aid has a melting point lower than that of silicon, and so the formed body obtained by extrusion of a forming raw material has a low melting point locally at the part containing such sintering aid. This means that, when such a formed body is sintered, sintering is progressed locally at the part containing the sintering aid, and the porosity is lowered. However, since sintering is progressed locally, there is a problem that the microstructure tends to be non-uniform and the pore diameter thereof also becomes too large.

The honeycomb structure described in Patent Document 2 includes silicon carbide particles mainly as the refractory particles, and so has a problem that the heat capacity of the honeycomb structure is large and the temperature-rising property is poor. That is, the honeycomb structure described in Patent Document 2 has the difficulty to follow the ambient temperature change rapidly.

The honeycomb structure described in Patent Document 3 also has a problem of large heat capacity and poor temperature-rising property similarly to the honeycomb structure described in Patent Document 2 because it includes silicon carbide particles as the aggregate.

In view of such problems, the present invention aims to provide a honeycomb structure with low heat capacity and high thermal diffusivity and that follows the ambient temperature change rapidly.

To solve the above problems, the present invention provides the following honeycomb structure.

[1] A honeycomb structure, includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having a porous partition wall, wherein the honeycomb structure body includes a plurality of cells defined by the partition wall so as to extend from a first end face to a second end face of the honeycomb structure body, the partition wall is formed by a porous body including a silicon phase as a main phase and an oxide, and the oxide includes a first oxide made of an alkali earth metal oxide, Al₂O₃, and SiO₂.

[2] The honeycomb structure according to [1], wherein the porous body includes 80 mass % or more of the silicon phase as the main phase.

[3] The honeycomb structure according to [1] or [2], wherein the alkali earth metal oxide is MgO.

[4] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the first oxide has a molar composition ratio that is alkali earth metal/Al=20/80 to 60/40.

[5] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the porous body includes 1 to 20 mass % of the oxide.

[6] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein in a first form of the silicon phase and the oxide present in the porous body, the silicon phase as the main phase includes a plurality of silicon particles, and the oxide is present between the plurality of silicon particles.

[7] The honeycomb structure according to [6], wherein the oxide in the first form has a particle diameter of 5 μm or less.

[8] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein in a second form of the silicon phase and the oxide present in the porous body, the oxide is present at a surface of the silicon phase as the main phase.

[9] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the oxide includes a second oxide made of SiO₂.

[10] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein the oxide includes any one or more of cordierite and cristobalite.

[11] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [10], wherein the silicon phase as the main phase includes at least one of metals other than silicon and silicide, and content of each of the metals included in the silicon phase and metals making up the silicide is 0.3 to 10 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of silicon.

[12] The honeycomb structure according to [11], wherein the silicon phase as the main phase includes, as the metals other than silicon and the metals making up silicide, at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ca, Al, Ti, and Zr.

[13] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [12], wherein the porous body has standard deviation of a thickness of skeleton that is 2 μm or less.

[14] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [13], wherein the porous body has an average of a length of skeleton that is 90 μm or more.

[15] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [14 wherein the porous body has porosity of 25 to 65%.

[16] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [15 wherein the porous body has an average pore diameter of 5 to 40 μm.

[17] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [16 further includes a plugging portion at the first end face and the second end face of the honeycomb structure body so as to plug an open end of at least one of the cells.

[18] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [17], wherein the honeycomb structure body is formed by a honeycomb segment bonded member including a plurality of honeycomb segments that are bonded while being displaced adjacent to each other so that side faces thereof are opposed.

[19] The honeycomb structure according to any one of [1] to [18], wherein the honeycomb structure body includes a circumferential wall disposed so as to surround circumference of the honeycomb structure body, and the circumferential wall has a pair of electrode members.

The honeycomb structure of the present invention includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having a porous partition wall. The honeycomb structure body includes a plurality of cells defined by the partition wall so as to extend from a first end face to a second end face of the honeycomb structure body. The partition wall is formed by a porous body including a silicon phase as a main phase and an oxide, and the oxide includes a first oxide made of an alkali earth metal oxide, Al₂O₃, and SiO₂. With this configuration, the honeycomb structure of the present invention has an advantageous effect of low heat capacity and high thermal diffusivity and of following the ambient temperature change rapidly. Therefore, when the honeycomb structure of the present invention is used as a DPF, for example, the temperature-rising property during regeneration of the DPF can be improved, and its locally excessive temperature rising can be suppressed. When the honeycomb structure of the present invention is used as a GPF, the temperature-rising property during exhaust gas flow can be improved, and the temperature of the GPF is allowed to rise quickly and uniformly. When the honeycomb structure of the present invention is used as various types of catalyst carriers as well, the temperature-rising property of the catalyst carrier can be improved, and the temperature of the catalyst carrier is allowed to rise quickly and uniformly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of a honeycomb structure of the present invention from its inflow-end face.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the honeycomb structure shown in FIG. 1 from the inflow-end face.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross sectional view along the line A-A′ of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4A is a photo after binarization by image processing of a photo taken of the reflecting electron image of the honeycomb structure of the present invention using a scanning electron microscope.

FIG. 4B is a photo obtained by further performing image processing of the image of FIG. 4A so as to represent the distance from the circumferential part of each silicon phase with the contrasting density of each pixel.

FIG. 4C is a photo obtained by performing thinning processing by image processing of the image of FIG. 4A to show an image after extraction of the skeleton of each silicon phase.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the honeycomb structure of the present invention from its inflow-end face.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the honeycomb structure shown in FIG. 5 from the inflow-end face.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross sectional view along the line B-B′ of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of still another embodiment of the honeycomb structure of the present invention from its inflow-end face.

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a further embodiment of the honeycomb structure of the present invention from its inflow-end face.

FIG. 10 shows a photo taken of a reflecting electron image of the honeycomb structure of Example 1 at 200-fold magnification by a scanning electron microscope.

FIG. 11 shows a photo taken of a reflecting electron image of the honeycomb structure of Example 1 at 1,000-fold magnification by a scanning electron microscope.

FIG. 12 shows a photo taken of a reflecting electron image of the honeycomb structure of Comparative Example 1 at 200-fold magnification by a scanning electron microscope.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following describes embodiments of the present invention in details, with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and is to be understood that modifications and improvements of the design may be added as needed based on the ordinary knowledge of a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

One embodiment of the honeycomb structure of the present invention is a honeycomb structure 100 including a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body 4 having a porous partition wall 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. The honeycomb structure body 4 includes a plurality of cells 2 defined by the partition wall 1 that extend from a first end face 11 to a second end face 12 of the honeycomb structure body 4. The honeycomb structure 100 shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 further includes a circumferential wall 3 located at the outermost circumference of the honeycomb structure body 4.

The partition wall 1 is formed by a porous body including a silicon phase as a main phase and an oxide. In the honeycomb structure 100 of the present embodiment, the oxide includes a first oxide made of an alkali earth metal oxide, Al₂O₃, and SiO₂. The partition wall 1 formed by a porous body including such a silicon phase as a main phase and an oxide has high thermal diffusivity at the same porosity and low heat capacity compared with those of conventionally known materials of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure. Therefore the honeycomb structure 100 of the present embodiment has low heat capacity and high thermal diffusivity, and follows the ambient temperature change rapidly. Further the partition wall 1 of the honeycomb structure 100 of the present embodiment is formed by a porous body including a silicon phase as a main phase, and so a lighter honeycomb structure can be realized. This means that the honeycomb structure 100 hardly breaks due to vibrations or the like. Since the honeycomb structure 100 is lighter, when it is used as a filter or a catalyst carrier, it is easy to put (perform canning of) the honeycomb structure 100 into a container which accommodates the honeycomb structure 100.

When the honeycomb structure 100 of the present embodiment is used as a DPF, for example, the temperature-rising property during regeneration of the DPF can be improved, and its locally excessive temperature rising can be suppressed. This can reduce the frequency of regeneration of the DPF, and even when a large amount of soot is combusted at one time, the DPF hardly breaks due to thermal shock. When the honeycomb structure 100 is used as a GPF, the temperature-rising property during exhaust gas flow can be improved, and the temperature of the GPF is allowed to rise quickly and uniformly. When the honeycomb structure 100 is used as various types of catalyst carriers as well, the temperature-rising property of the catalyst carrier can be improved, and the temperature of the catalyst carrier is allowed to rise quickly and uniformly. Moreover, since locally excessive temperature rising can be suppressed, deterioration of the catalyst (deterioration due to excessive temperature rising) hardly occurs.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of the honeycomb structure of the present invention from its inflow-end face. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the honeycomb structure shown in FIG. 1 from the inflow-end face. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross sectional view along the line A-A′ of FIG. 2.

The “main phase” in the porous body forming the partition wall 1 refers to a substance of 60 mass % or more in the mass ratio. The “main phase” in the porous body forming the partition wall 1 is preferably a substance of 80 mass % or more, more preferably a substance of 85 mass % or more, and particularly preferably a substance of 90 mass % or more in the mass ratio. In the honeycomb structure 100 of the present embodiment, the “main phase” in the porous body is a “silicon phase”. Then the porous body preferably includes 80 mass % or more of the silicon phase as the main phase, more preferably includes 85 mass % or more as the main phase and particularly preferably includes 90 mass % or more as the main phase.

The “silicon phase” as the main phase in the porous body forming the partition wall 1 may include at least one of the metals other than silicon and the metals that make up silicide. The “silicon phase” as the main phase has the content of the metals other than silicon and the metals that make up silicide that is 20 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of silicon. In the present specification, a “silicon phase” refers to a phase including silicon and impurities (metals other than silicon and metals that make up silicide) mixed with silicon. “Silicon” refers to a substance (single body) made of Si elements. The “metals other than silicon” refer to a single body of an element having a eutectic point in the phase diagram of the binary system with silicon. “Silicide” refers to a compound made of a metal and silicon. Hereinafter “the metals other than silicon and the metals that make up silicide” may be called a “specific impurity”. Note here that the metals that make up silicide do not include silicon.

The porous body includes a silicon phase as a main phase and an oxide, and the oxide contains a first oxide made of an alkali earth metal oxide, Al₂O₃, and SiO₂. The “alkali earth metal oxide” refers to an element belonging to the second group in the periodic table. It was confirmed that when the porous body includes a silicon phase as a main phase and an oxide and the oxide contains a first oxide, standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body decreases, and the average of the length of skeleton of the porous body increases. Then it was found that such a decrease in standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body and an increase in average of the length of skeleton of the porous body can greatly contribute to the improvement of thermal diffusivity of the porous body. Hereinafter, the structure of skeleton of a porous body, such as the thickness of skeleton and the length of skeleton of the porous body, may be collectively called a “microstructure of the porous body”. Note here that, even when the porous body includes a silicon phase as a main phase and an oxide, if the oxide does not contain a first oxide, the effect of improving thermal diffusivity of the porous body cannot obtained, and even if thermal diffusivity of the porous body is improved, such an effect is very small.

The silicon phase as the main phase may include at least one of the metals other than silicon and silicide. That is, the silicon phase may include at least one of the metals other than silicon and the metals that make up silicide. When the silicon phase as the main phase includes the aforementioned specific impurities, the silicon phase as the main phase shows improved sintering property when the honeycomb formed body is fired to be a honeycomb structure after firing. When the silicon phase as the main phase includes the aforementioned specific impurities, the content of the specific impurities is 0.3 to 10 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of silicon preferably, 0.3 to 5 parts by mass more preferably and 0.3 to 1 part by mass particularly preferably. If the content of the specific impurities is excessive to exceed 10 parts by mass, the effect of improving thermal diffusivity and lowering heat capacity of the porous body cannot be obtained sufficiently. If the content of the specific impurities is excessive to exceed 10 parts by mass, heat resistance of the porous body may deteriorate, or the thermal expansion coefficient of the porous body may become too large and so the thermal shock resistance may deteriorate.

When the silicon phase as the main phase contains a plurality of specific impurities, the total content of the specific impurities is preferably 0.3 to 10 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of silicon, more preferably 0.3 to 5 parts by mass, and particularly preferably 0.3 to 1 part by mass.

Herein, the content of the specific impurities in the silicon phase can be measured by the following method. Firstly, a test piece of a required amount for measurement is cut out from the porous body forming the partition wall of the honeycomb structure, and the cut-out test piece is pulverized into powder. Then, the diffraction pattern of the obtained powder is measured using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Thereafter the crystalline phase contained in the porous body is identified based on the measured diffraction pattern. Then the amount of each crystalline phase is determined for the identified crystalline phase by a Reference Intensity Ratio (RIR) method. Next, among the crystalline phases identified from the diffraction pattern, the content (mass %) of the specific impurity contained in the crystalline phase including the specific impurity is obtained, and the ratio (part by mass) of the specific impurity with respect to 100 parts by mass of silicon is calculated. Note here that, when the specific impurity is a single metal body, the content of the single metal body in the silicon phase is found. When the specific impurity is a metal making up a compound (silicide) of the metal and silicon, then the content of the metal included in the compound (silicide) with silicon is obtained using the “content of the metal contained in the crystalline phase including the specific impurity” determined from the diffraction pattern. In this way, the content of the specific impurity in the silicon phase can be obtained.

The specific impurity (metals other than silicon and metals that make up silicide) may be at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ca, Al, Ti, and Zr. Among the metals included in the group, Fe, Ca and Al are major impurities included in metallic silicon. The silicon phase as the main phase may contain at least one metal selected from the aforementioned group.

The porous body includes the silicon phase as the main phase and an oxide. Such a porous body including an oxide can lead to improvement of thermal diffusivity, strength and heat resistance of the porous body. The amount of an oxide included in the porous body is preferably 1 to 20 mass %, and more preferably 2 to 15 mass %. If the amount of an oxide included in the porous body exceeds 20 mass %, thermal diffusivity of the porous body may deteriorate, or heat capacity thereof may increase. On the contrary, if the amount of an oxide included in the porous body is too small, e.g., less than 1 mass %, then the effect to improve thermal diffusivity, strength and heat resistance cannot be exerted sufficiently.

The porous body includes a silicon phase as a main phase and an oxide, and the oxide includes a first oxide made of an alkali earth metal oxide, Al₂O₃, and SiO₂. The amount of the first oxide included in the porous body is 1 to 20 mass % preferably, 1 to 15 mass % more preferably and 2 to 15 mass % particularly preferably. If the amount of the first oxide included in the porous body exceeds 20 mass %, thermal diffusivity of the porous body may deteriorate, heat capacity thereof may increase, or heat resistance may deteriorate. On the contrary, if the amount of the first oxide included in the porous body is too small, e.g., less than 1 mass %, then the effect to improve strength and thermal diffusivity cannot be exerted sufficiently.

The first oxide contains an alkali earth metal oxide, Al₂O₃ and SiO₂. The first oxide suppresses excessive particle growth of the silicon phase as the main phase when the honeycomb formed body is fired to be a honeycomb structure after firing. That is, during sintering process of the silicon phase as the main phase, the first oxide enters into between the silicon phases, and suppresses excessive particle growth of the silicon phase as the main phase and suppresses excessive thickening of the necking between the silicon phases as the main phase, whereby the microstructure of the porous body is controlled. Such a first oxide entering into between the silicon phases and controlling the microstructure of the porous body may be called a “pinning effect”. Such a pining effect exerted by the first oxide allows the silicon phase as the main phase to include a plurality of silicon particles. When the silicon phase as the main phase includes a plurality of silicon particles, an oxide may be present between the plurality of silicon particles. Hereinafter, such a form of an oxide existing between the plurality of silicon particles may be called a “first form”.

Examples of the alkali earth metal oxide include an oxide of an element belonging to the second group in the periodic table. Preferably this is an oxide including one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Ba, and Sr, and is MgO more preferably.

The content of an oxide in the porous body can be measured by the following method. Firstly, a test piece of a required amount for measurement is cut out from the porous body forming the partition wall of the honeycomb structure, and the cut-out test piece is pulverized into powder. Then, the obtained powder is immersed in hydrofluoric acid so as to elute the oxide included in the porous body into the hydrofluoric acid. The amount (mass %) of the oxide included in the porous body can be obtained from a difference between the mass of the powder before elution and the mass of the powder as residue. Herein, the powder as residue refers to the powder that is collected after elution of the oxide into the hydrofluoric acid and then is dried. According to this method, the total mass of the crystalline oxide included in the porous body and the amorphous oxide (glasslike oxide) can be determined. The mass of the oxide included in the porous body is used to calculate the mass ratio of the silicon phase as the main phase in the porous body described below.

The first oxide has a molar composition ratio of alkali earth metal/Al=20/80 to 60/40 preferably, of alkali earth metal/Al=20/80 to 50/50 more preferably, and of alkali earth metal/Al=20/80 to 40/60 particularly preferably. Such a range of the molar composition ratio of the first oxide allows the microstructure of the porous body to be controlled favorably because when the honeycomb formed body is fired to be a honeycomb structure after firing, excessive particle growth of the silicon phase as the main phase can be suppressed due to the pinning effect, and sintering between the silicon phases as the main phase is not inhibited excessively. The alkali earth metal refers to an alkali earth metal element included in the alkali earth metal oxide in the first oxide. Al refers to an Al element included in Al₂O₃ in the first oxide.

The molar composition ratio of the first oxide can be measured by the following method. The amount of the hydrofluoric acid solution including the eluted oxide, which is obtained by the method for measuring the content of the oxide of the porous body, is determined by an ICP emission spectrometric analysis technique, whereby the molar composition ratio can be obtained.

Next, the following describes a method to calculate the mass ratio of the silicon phase as the main phase in the porous body, and the mass ratio of silicon included in the silicon phase as the main phase. When the mass ratio of the silicon phase as the main phase in the porous body is calculated, the mass of the oxide included in the porous body is firstly obtained in accordance with the method to measure the content of the oxide in the porous body as stated above. Next, the resultant of subtraction of the mass of the oxide from the total mass of the porous body is the mass of the silicon phase as the main phase. That is, the mass of the power as residue in the measurement method of the content of the oxide is the mass of the silicon phase as the main phase. Then, the content of silicon included in the silicon phase as the main phase is calculated using the mass of the silicon phase as the main phase, and the mass ratio of silicon as the crystalline part and the metals other than silicon and the metals that make up silicide in the porous body, which is known from the measurement of the content of the specific impurities.

The oxide is preferably included in the porous body as in the following form. Firstly in a first form of the silicon phase and the oxide existing in the porous body, the silicon phase as the main phase includes a plurality of silicon particles, and the oxide exists between the plurality of silicon particles. Hereinafter the oxide existing between the plurality of silicon particles in the first form may be called a “first-form oxide”. Such an oxide existing between the plurality of silicon particles can exert the pining effect when the honeycomb formed body is fired. With this configuration, the “microstructure of the porous body” suitable to improve thermal diffusivity can be kept, and the porous body can have low porosity. Therefore, the honeycomb structure can have improved thermal diffusivity and strength. In the first mode, the oxide may exist at a part other than between the plurality of silicon particles.

The oxide in the first form may have a particle diameter of 5 or less preferably, 0.5 to 5 μm more preferably and 1 to 4 μm particularly preferably. If the particle diameter of the oxide is larger than 5 thermal diffusivity of the porous body may deteriorate or the microstructure of the porous body may become non-uniform (in other words, standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton increases).

The existence of an oxide in the first form (i.e., the existence of the first-form oxide) can be checked as follows. Firstly, a test piece of a required size for measurement is cut out from the porous body forming the partition wall of the honeycomb structure. Next, the cutting plane of the obtained test piece is embedded in resin. Thereafter, the cutting plane of the test piece is ground, and such a cutting plane is observed by a scanning electron microscope (hereinafter this may be called a “SEM”). When specific particles assumed as the oxide are found between the plurality of silicon particles in this observation, the element making up the specific particles is specified using an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDS). When the particles existing between the plurality of silicon particles are oxide, these particles are the first-form oxide. The first-form oxide may be identified by the method described in the above. Note here that the particles existing between a plurality of silicon particles are preferably a first oxide made of an alkali earth metal oxide, Al₂O₃, and SiO₂.

The particle diameter of the first-form oxide can be calculated from a SEM image (reflecting electron image) obtained by a SEM observation of the cutting plane of the test piece as stated above using image analysis software. An example of the image analysis software includes “Image-Pro Plus 7.0J” (product name) produced by Media Cybernetics Inc. Specifically the particle diameter of the oxide existing between a plurality of silicon particles is measured at 20 points selected at random in the aforementioned SEM image. For the particle diameter of each oxide, the maximum size of their particles is measured. Then, the average of the particle diameters measured is used as the particle diameter of the first-form oxide.

Next, in a second form of the silicon phase and the oxide existing in the porous body, the oxide exists at the surface of the silicon phase as the main phase. Hereinafter the oxide existing at the surface of the silicon phase as the main phase in the second form may be called a “second-form oxide”. With this configuration, the porous body can have improved heat resistance. Note here that, if the amount of the oxide in the second form is too much, the thermal expansion coefficient of the porous body may increase and the thermal shock resistance may deteriorate.

The oxide preferably includes a second oxide made of SiO₂. Then, the oxide in the second form is preferably such a second oxide. An example of the second oxide as the second-form oxide is an oxide that is oxidized silicon existing at the surface of the silicon phase out of silicon included in the silicon phase as the main phase. With this configuration, the porous body can have more improved heat resistance.

The existence of an oxide in the second form (i.e., the existence of the second-form oxide) can be checked as follows. Firstly, a test piece of a required size for measurement is cut out from the porous body forming the partition wall of the honeycomb structure. Next, the fracture plane of the obtained test piece is observed using a SEM. Herein, the fracture plane is a plane appearing when a test piece breaks. When a substance assumed as the second-form oxide is found at the surface of the silicon phase in this observation, the element thereof is specified using an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDS). When the substance existing at the surface of the silicon phase is an oxide, this substance is the second-form oxide. The component of the second-form oxide can be identified by the method described in the above. For instance, when Si and O are detected at the surface of the silicon phase and when Si only is detected inside of the silicon phase, the second oxide exists at the surface of the silicon phase. That is, the oxide in the second form is the second oxide.

The oxide included in the porous body preferably includes any one or more of cordierite and cristobalite. The first oxide as stated above includes cordierite particularly preferably. The second oxide as stated above includes cristobalite particularly preferably.

The porous body forming the partition wall may include aggregate, such as silicon carbide, silicon nitride, mullite, or corundum. When the porous body includes such aggregate, the mass of the aggregate with respect to the mass of the porous body is preferably 20 mass % or less, 10 mass % or less more preferably and 1 mass % or less particularly preferably. When the porous body includes such aggregate, heat capacity of the porous body may increase and temperature-rising property of the honeycomb structure may deteriorate, or thermal diffusivity may decrease. The content of the aggregate in the porous body is determined using a diffraction pattern obtained when the content of specific impurities in the silicon phase is measured.

The porous body has a three-dimensional network structure, in which a plurality of pores is formed. In the honeycomb structure of the present embodiment, standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body is preferably 2 μm or less. Standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body is an index of variations in the size of the silicon phase. Accordingly, small standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton means decrease in bottleneck portions on the heat conduction path, and so high thermal diffusivity can be achieved. Further small standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton means a decrease in coarse pores relatively, and so strength of the honeycomb structure can be improved. When such a honeycomb structure is used as a filter, the trapping performance of the filter can be improved. The standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body is 1 or less more preferably and 0.5 μm or less particularly preferably. The practical lower limit of the standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body is 0.3 μm.

The standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body can be obtained as follows. Firstly, a test piece of a required size for measurement is cut out from the porous body forming the partition wall of the honeycomb structure. Next, the cutting plane of the obtained test piece is embedded in resin. Thereafter, the cutting plane of the test piece is ground, and such a cutting plane is observed by a SEM to take a reflecting electron image at 200-fold magnification. The rectangular range of 300 μm×600 μm at the partition wall part of the obtained image is analyzed using image analysis software to calculate standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton. Specifically as shown in FIG. 4A, a binarized image is created by binarizing the obtained SEM image to a part corresponding to the silicon phase as the main phase and a part other than that. Next as shown in FIG. 4B, a distance map is created for the part corresponding to each silicon phase in the binarized image. Specifically, an image is created, representing a distance from the circumferential part (outline part) of each silicon phase with the contrasting density of each pixel. The distance map is obtained by representing the image after binarization in the 16-bit gray scale form. In the distance map, the density of each pixel indicating the substantive part of each silicon phase represents the distance from the pixel to the circumferential part. Next, average density at each silicon phase is obtained using the obtained image, and the average density is used as the thickness of skeleton of each silicon phase. Then, standard deviation of the thicknesses of skeleton for the silicon phases is obtained, which is used as the standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body. An example of the image analysis software includes “Image-Pro Plus 7.0J” (product name) produced by Media Cybernetics Inc.

Herein FIG. 4A is a photo after binarization by image processing of a photo taken of the reflecting electron image of the honeycomb structure of the present invention using a scanning electron microscope. FIG. 4B is a photo obtained by further performing image processing of the image of FIG. 4A so as to represent the distance from the circumferential part of each silicon phase with the contrasting density of each pixel. FIG. 4C is a photo obtained by performing thinning processing by image processing of the image of FIG. 4A to show an image after extraction of the skeleton of each silicon phase.

In the honeycomb structure of the present embodiment, the length of skeleton of the porous body preferably has average that is 90 μm or more. The average of the length of skeleton of the porous body is an index of the degree of connecting between silicon phases. That is, large average of the length of skeleton of the porous body means that the heat conduction path is hardly divided, and so high thermal diffusivity can be achieved. Large average of the length of skeleton of the porous body further means an increase in part of the silicon phases coupled, and so strength of the honeycomb structure can be improved. The average of the length of skeleton of the porous body is 120 μm or more preferably, and 300 μm or more particularly preferably. The practical upper limit of the length of skeleton of the porous body is 500 μm.

The average of the length of skeleton of the porous body can be obtained as follows. Firstly a binarized image is created similarly to the method to obtain the standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body. Next as shown in FIG. 4C, the center line of each silicon phase is extracted by thinning processing, and each center line is used as the skeleton of the corresponding silicon phase. The thinning processing is to trim each silicon phase from the circumferential part bit by bit to obtain the line of one pixel finally. Next, the overall length of the center line of one silicon phase is used as the length of skeleton of the one silicon phase. Then the average of the lengths of skeleton of the silicon phases is used as the average of the length of skeleton of the porous body.

The porous body has porosity of 25 to 65% preferably, 30 to 50% more preferably and 30 to 40% particularly preferably. If the porosity of the porous body is less than 25%, pressure loss may increase when the honeycomb structure is used as a filter. If the porosity of the porous body exceeds 65%, the partition wall of the honeycomb structure becomes brittle and may easily become chipped. The porosity of the porous body is the porosity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure. The porosity of the porous body can be measured by the Archimedes's method, in accordance with JIS R 1634.

The porous body preferably has the average pore diameter of 5 to 40 μm, 5 to 20 μm more preferably and 5 to 15 μm particularly preferably. If the average pore diameter of the porous body is less than 5 μm, pressure loss may increase when the honeycomb structure is used as a filter. If the average pore diameter of the porous body exceeds 40 μm, a part of PM in exhaust gas may pass through the partition wall when the honeycomb structure is used as a filter, and so trapping efficiency of the filter may deteriorate. The average pore diameter of the porous body can be measured by a mercury intrusion technique in accordance with JIS R 1655.

The thickness of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure body is not limited especially, which may be 100 to 500 μm preferably, 150 to 400 μm more preferably and 150 to 300 μm particularly preferably. Such a range of the partition wall thickness allows the strength of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure to be kept and enables suppression of an increase in pressure loss.

The cell density of the honeycomb structure body is not limited especially, which may be 15 to 100 cells/cm² preferably, 30 to 65 cells/cm² more preferably, and 30 to 50 cells/cm² particularly preferably. Such a range of the cell density enables suppression of an increase in pressure loss while improving the trapping efficiency when the honeycomb structure is used as a filter.

The cell shape formed at the honeycomb structure body is not limited especially. Herein, “the cell shape” refers to a shape of the cells at a cross section of the honeycomb structure body orthogonal to the cell extending direction. Examples of the cell shape include a quadrangle, a hexagon, an octagon and the combination thereof.

The shape of the honeycomb structure body is not limited especially, which may be a pillar-shaped having a circular bottom face (round pillar-shaped), a pillar-shaped having an oval bottom face, a pillar-shaped having a polygonal (quadrangle, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon and the like) bottom face, and the like.

The length from a first end face to a second end face of the honeycomb structure body and the size of the cross section of the honeycomb structure body orthogonal to the cell extending direction may be selected appropriately depending on the operating state and the operating purpose of the honeycomb structure of the present embodiment. For instance, the length from a first end face to a second end face of the honeycomb structure body is preferably 100 to 500 mm, and 100 to 300 mm more preferably. The area of the cross section of the honeycomb structure body orthogonal to the cell extending direction is 7,000 to 70,000 mm² preferably and 7,000 to 30,000 mm² more preferably.

Catalyst for exhaust gas purification may be loaded at least one of the surface of the partition wall and the pores of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure body. An example of the catalyst include porous γ-Al₂O₃ loaded with platinum group metal. Herein since the catalyst loaded at the partition wall of the honeycomb structure body is an element different from the partition wall (in other words, porous body), “the material making up the porous body” does not include the catalyst.

Next, the following describes another embodiment of the honeycomb structure of the present invention. The honeycomb structure of the present embodiment is a honeycomb structure 200 as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7. The honeycomb structure 200 includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body 24 having a porous partition wall 21 and a plugging to plug the open ends of cells 22. The honeycomb structure body 24 includes the plurality of cells 22 defined by the partition wall 21 so as to extend from a first end face 31 to a second end face 32 of the honeycomb structure body 24. The plugging portion 25 is disposed at the first end face 31 and the second end face 32 of the honeycomb structure body 24 so as to plug the open end of at least one of the cells 22. In FIGS. 5 to 7, the plugging portion 25 is provided at the open ends of predetermined cells 22 a (hereinafter simply called “cells 22 a” as well) at the first end face 31 and at the open ends of residual cells 22 b (hereinafter simply called “cells 22 b” as well) at the second end face 32. The thus configured honeycomb structure 200 can be used as a particulate filter to purify exhaust gas emitted from an internal combustion engine or various types of combustion devices. The honeycomb structure 200 shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 further has a circumferential wall 23 located at the outermost circumference of the honeycomb structure body 24.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the honeycomb structure of the present invention from its inflow-end face. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the honeycomb structure shown in FIG. 5 from the inflow-end face. FIG. 7 is a schematic cross sectional view along the line B-B′ of FIG. 6.

Next, the following describes still another embodiment of the honeycomb structure of the present invention. The honeycomb structure of the present embodiment is a honeycomb structure 300 as shown in FIG. 8. The honeycomb structure 300 shown in FIG. 8 includes a segmented structured honeycomb structure body 44. That is, the honeycomb structure body 44 is formed by a honeycomb segment bonded member including a plurality of honeycomb segments 46. Each honeycomb segment 46 is a pillar-shaped having a partition wall 41, and the plurality of honeycomb segments 46 are bonded while being displaced adjacent to each other so that their side faces are opposed. Each honeycomb segment 46 includes the porous partition wall 41 defining a plurality of cells 42 extending from a first end face 51 to a second end face 52 and serving as a through channel of fluid, and an outer wall 48 disposed to surround the partition wall 41. A bonding layer 47 is to bond the outer walls 48 of the honeycomb segments 46 disposed adjacently. This bonding layer 47 may have a function as a buffer for thermal stress generated at the honeycomb structure body 44. The honeycomb structure 300 shown in FIG. 8 includes a circumferential wall 43 at the outermost circumference of the bonded member in which the plurality of honeycomb segments 46 are bonded. Hereinafter, a honeycomb structure body formed by a honeycomb segment bonded member may be called a “segmented structured honeycomb structure body”. Herein, FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of still another embodiment of the honeycomb structure of the present invention from its inflow-end face.

In the segmented structured honeycomb structure body, the partition wall of at least one honeycomb segment among the plurality of honeycomb segments preferably is formed by a porous body including a silicon phase as a main phase. In the segmented structured honeycomb structure body, the partition walls of all of the honeycomb segments may are formed by a porous body including a silicon phase as a main phase. The bonding layer may have a structure similar to that of a bonding layer at the honeycomb structure body of a conventionally known segmented structured honeycomb structure body.

The honeycomb structure 300 as shown in FIG. 8 may be prepared by obtaining a bonded member in which a plurality of honeycomb segments 46 are bonded and by processing the circumference of the obtained bonded member by grinding or the like. Such processing of the circumferential part of the bonded member allows the shape of the cross section orthogonal to the extending direction of the cells 42 of the bonded member to be a desired shape, such as a circle. After processing of the circumferential part of the bonded member, a ceramic material may be applied at the outermost circumference, whereby a circumferential wall 43 may be disposed. Such a honeycomb structure 300 including a segmented structured honeycomb structure body may further include a plugging portion (not shown) to plug the open ends of the cells 42.

Next, the following describes a further embodiment of the honeycomb structure of the present invention. The honeycomb structure of the present embodiment is a honeycomb structure 400 as shown in FIG. 9. In the honeycomb structure 400 shown in FIG. 9, a honeycomb structure body 64 includes a circumferential wall 63 disposed to surround the circumference of the honeycomb structure body 64, and this circumferential wall 63 has a pair of electrode members 69, 69. The honeycomb structure 400 of the present embodiment is configured to produce heat at the honeycomb structure body 64 using heating by energization of the honeycomb structure body 64. That is, it is configured so that when voltage is applied between the pair of electrode members 69, 69, a partition wall 61 formed by a porous body including a silicon phase as a main phase produces heat. As shown in FIG. 9, the honeycomb structure body 64 includes the partition wall 61 that defines a plurality of cells 62 so as to extend from a first end face 71 to a second end face 72 of the honeycomb structure body 44. Herein, FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a further embodiment of the honeycomb structure of the present invention from its inflow-end face.

Each of the pair of electrode members 69, 69 is formed like a belt extending in the extending direction of the cells 62 of the honeycomb structure body 64. Further, the pair of electrode members 69, 69 is preferably disposed so that one of the electrode members 69 is disposed on the opposite side of the center of the honeycomb structure body 64 with reference to the other electrode member 69 at the cross section orthogonal to the extending direction of the cells 62 of the honeycomb structure body 64. With this configuration, the honeycomb structure body 64 can produce heat uniformly.

Examples of the material of the pair of electrode members 69, 69 include an intermetallic compound, such as silicon, silicon carbide or silicide. The pair of electrode members 69, 69 may be formed by applying such a material to the circumferential wall 63 disposed so as to surround the circumference of the honeycomb structure body 64. A part of the circumferential wall 63 may be made of the aforementioned material.

Next the following describes a method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure of the present embodiment. When the honeycomb structure is manufactured, firstly a forming raw material is prepared, which is to prepare a porous body including a silicon phase as a main phase. The forming raw material is not limited especially as long as a fired body (porous body) obtained by firing the forming raw material includes a silicon phase as a main phase and an oxide, and the oxide includes a first oxide made of an alkali earth metal oxide, Al₂O₃, and SiO₂.

The forming raw material may further include dispersing medium and additives in addition to the raw material as stated above.

Examples of the additives include binder, surfactant and pore former. Examples of the dispersing medium include water.

Examples of the binder include methylcellulose, hydroxypropoxyl cellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, and polyvinyl alcohol. Examples of the surfactant include ethylene glycol, fatty acid soap, and polyalcohol. Examples of the pore former, which are not especially limited as long as it forms pores after firing, include starch, foamable resin, water absorbable resin and silica gel.

The particle diameter and the blending amount of the raw material powder as stated above as well as the particle diameter and the blending amount of the pore former powder to be added are adjusted, whereby a porous body with desired porosity and average pore diameter can be obtained.

Next, the thus obtained forming raw material is kneaded to be a kneaded material. A method for forming a kneaded material is not limited especially. For instance, it may be formed using a kneader, a vacuum pugmill or the like.

Next, the obtained kneaded material is extruded, whereby a honeycomb formed body is prepared. Extrusion can be performed using a die having a desired cell shape, partition wall thickness and cell density. Next, the obtained honeycomb formed body may be dried to obtain a honeycomb dried body that is the dried honeycomb formed body. The drying method is not limited especially. For instance, examples thereof include hot air drying, microwave drying, dielectric drying, reduced-pressure drying, vacuum drying, and freeze-drying. Among them, dielectric drying, microwave drying or hot air drying is preferably performed alone or in combination. Preferable drying conditions are drying temperature at 30 to 150° C. and a drying time of 1 minute to 2 hours. In the present specification, the drying temperature refers to the temperature of atmosphere for drying.

Next, when the honeycomb structure including a plugging portion is to be manufactured, the open ends of the cells of the obtained honeycomb formed body or the honeycomb dried body that is the dried honeycomb formed body are plugged with a plugging material. Examples of the method for plugging the open ends of cells include a method to fill the open ends of cells with the plugging material. The method for filling with the plugging material can be performed in accordance with a conventionally known method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure including a plugging portion. For a raw material to form such a plugging portion, a raw material to form a plugging portion used in a conventionally known method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure can be used. Note here that the raw material used is preferably the same raw material as that of the honeycomb formed body (or the honeycomb dried body). In order to adjust the porosity, the pore diameter or the like of the plugging portion formed by the raw material to form the plugging portion, the particle diameter and the blending amount of the raw material to form the plugging portion as well as the particle diameter and the blending amount of the pore former powder to be added may be changed as needed.

Next, the honeycomb formed body (or the honeycomb dried body) is fired. The obtained honeycomb fired body is the honeycomb structure of the present embodiment. The firing temperature is preferably 1,300 to 1,400° C. In the present specification, the firing temperature refers to the temperature of atmosphere for firing (e.g., the temperature in the firing oven). The firing duration is preferably about 1 to 100 hours. Firing may be performed in non-oxidizing atmosphere, e.g., in a vacuum or in the argon atmosphere.

The obtained honeycomb fired body may be heat treated in the oxidant atmosphere (e.g., in the air). Such a heat treatment forms an oxide of SiO₂ at the surface of the silicon phase as the main phase in the porous body.

Alternatively, prior to form the plugging portion at the honeycomb formed body, the honeycomb formed body may be fired to obtain a honeycomb fired body, and a plugging portion may be formed at the open ends of cells of the obtained honeycomb fired body, followed by firing, whereby a honeycomb structure may be obtained. In this way, the honeycomb structure of the present embodiment can be manufactured. Note here that the method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure is not limited to the method as stated above, which may be changed as needed. For instance, when a honeycomb structure including a segmented structured honeycomb structure body is to be manufactured, a forming raw material is prepared by the method as stated above, and a kneaded material obtained by kneading the forming raw material may be used to form a formed body of each honeycomb segment. A method for bonding the honeycomb segments to form a honeycomb segment bonded body may be performed in accordance with a conventionally known manufacturing method.

EXAMPLES

The following describes the present invention in more details by way of examples, and the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

In the following examples and comparative examples, three types of silicon raw material powder shown in Table 1 were used as the silicon raw material powder for the forming raw material. Table 1 shows the composition (mass %) of the silicon raw material powder. One silicon raw material powder of the three types of silicon raw material powder is relatively low purity silicon raw material powder of small silicon particles, indicated in the field “A” of Table 1. Another silicon raw material powder is relatively low purity silicon raw material powder of large silicon particles, indicated in the field “B” of Table 1. Still another silicon raw material powder is relatively high purity silicon raw material powder, indicated in the field “C” of Table 1. Hereinafter, the silicon raw material powder indicated in the field “A” of Table 1 may be called “silicon raw material powder A”. The silicon raw material powder indicated in the field “B” of Table 1 may be called “silicon raw material powder B”. The silicon raw material powder indicated in the field “C” of Table 1 may be called “silicon raw material powder C”. In Table 1, Si, Al, Fe, Ti, Ca, Zr, Mg, K, Na, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Mo, B and P in the silicon raw material powder are indicated as the composition (mass %) of silicon raw material powder A, silicon raw material powder B and silicon raw material powder C. The composition of silicon raw material powder A, silicon raw material powder B, and silicon raw material powder C was identified and the amount thereof was determined by a fluorescence X-ray FP technique.

In the field of “eutectic point (° C.)” in Table 1 indicates the eutectic point of each element shown in Table 1 and silicon. The average particle diameter of silicon of silicon raw material powder A was 8 μm, the average particle diameter of silicon of silicon raw material powder B was 13 μm, and the average particle diameter of silicon of silicon raw material powder C was 10 μm. The average particle diameter of silicon of silicon raw material powder A, silicon raw material powder B and silicon raw material powder C was measured using a laser diffraction/diffusion type particle diameter distribution analyzer (“Micro-track” (product name)” produced by Nikkiso Co., ltd.)

TABLE 1 Eutectic Silicon raw material powder point A B C (° C.) Composition Si 99.10 99.00 99.70 — (mass %) Al 0.27 0.12 0.08 577 Fe 0.42 0.60 0.08 1203 Ti 0.03 0.03 — 1330 Ca 0.04 0.03 0.02 1030 Zr — — — 1370 Mg 0.04 0.04 0.04 946 K — — — — Na 0.02 0.02 0.02 — V 0.04 — — 1400 Cr — 0.08 — 1305 Mn — 0.02 — 1149 Ni 0.02 — — 993 Mo — — — 1400 B — — — 1385 P — — — 1131

Example 1

In Example 1, silicon raw material powder A was used as the silicon raw material powder. For the forming raw material, 5,000 g of silicon raw material powder A, 221 g of cordierite powder with the average particle diameter of 2 μm, and 350 g of methylcellulose as binder as well as appropriate amount of water added were prepared.

Next, the obtained forming raw material was kneaded by a kneader, and then was pugged by a vacuum pugmill to form a kneaded material. Next, the obtained kneaded material was extruded to prepare a honeycomb formed body. The honeycomb formed body was such that the partition wall thereof after firing had the thickness of 300 μm, and the cell density of 46.5 cells/cm². The honeycomb structure body of the honeycomb formed body was a quadrangular pillar shape, in which the length of one side of the end face was 35 mm after firing. Next, the honeycomb formed body was dried to obtain a honeycomb dried body. Drying included microwave drying, followed by hot air drying at 80° C.

Next, the obtained honeycomb dried body was degreased. Degreasing was performed in the air at 450° C. for 5 hours. Next, the degreased honeycomb dried body was fired in the Ar atmosphere to obtain a honeycomb structure. Firing in Example 1 was performed, including temperature rising to 1,200° C. in 2 hours firstly, followed by temperature rising to 1,380° C. in 18 hours and then the temperature was kept at 1,380° C. for 2 hours. Hereinafter this temperature condition for firing is called “firing condition a”.

The composition of the partition wall (porous body) making up the honeycomb structure of Example 1 was determined and the amount thereof was determined by the following method. Table 2 shows the composition of the partition wall (porous body) making up the honeycomb structure of Example 1. Herein, the field of “each crystalline phase (mass %) accounting for in the porous body (crystalline substance)” in Table 2 indicates the result of identification of the crystalline phases included in the porous body and the result of the amount thereof determined. The components identified as crystalline phases included in the porous body were six components of silicon, cristobalite (SiO₂), cordierite (2MgO.2Al₂O₃.5SiO₂), Sr celsian (SrO.Al₂O₃.2SiO₂), Ba celsian (BaO.Al₂O₃.2SiO₂) and FeSi₂ in Examples and Comparative Examples described in the following. The field of “ratio (parts by mass) of Fe with respect to 100 parts by mass of silicon” in Table 2 indicates the ratio (parts by mass) of Fe with respect to 100 parts by mass of silicon. In Table 2, Fe was shown as the specific impurities. The field of “amount of oxide (mass %)” in Table 2 indicates the mass ratio (mass %) of an oxide included in the porous body. The field of “alkali earth metal/Al” in Table 2 indicates the molar composition ratio of the first oxide. The field of “amount of silicon phase (mass %)” in Table 2 indicates the mass ratio (mass %) of the silicon phase included in the porous body. The field of “amount of silicon (mass %)” in Table 2 indicates the mass ratio (mass %) of silicon (single body made of Si element) included in the porous body.

TABLE 2 Ratio of Fe with Each component accounting for in porous body Each crystalline phase accounting for in porous body respect to 100 (crystalline and amorphous substances) (crystalline substance) (mass %) parts by mass Amount of Alkali Amount of Amount Silicon Cristobalite Cordierite Sr celsian Ba celsian FeSi₂ of silicon oxide earth silicon phase of silicon (mass %) (mass %) (mass %) (mass %) (mass %) (mass %) (parts by mass) (mass %) metal/Al (mass %) (mass %) Ex. 1 96.2 — 2.8 — — 1.0 0.5 5 33/67 95 94 Ex. 2 98.5 — 0.5 — — 1.0 0.5 2 30/70 98 97 Ex. 3 87.9 — 11.2 — — 0.9 0.5 14 33/67 86 85 Ex. 4 73.0 — 26.3 — — 0.7 0.5 29 33/67 71 70 Ex. 5 96.3 — 3.5 — — 0.2 0.1 5 33/67 95 95 Ex. 6 96.2 — 2.5 — — 1.3 0.7 5 33/67 95 94 Ex. 7 96.6 — 2.4 — — 1.0 0.5 5 51/49 95 94 Ex. 8 96.8 — — 2.2 — 1.0 0.5 7 50/50 93 92 Ex. 9 96.2 — — — 2.8 1.0 0.5 8 50/50 92 91 Ex. 10 90.1 5.0 3.9 — — 1.0 0.6 10 33/67 90 89 Comp. 99.0 — — — — 1.0 0.5 1 — 99 98 Ex. 1

The crystalline phases included in the porous body were identified, and the amount thereof was determined by the following method. Firstly, a test piece of a required amount for measurement was cut out from the porous body forming the partition wall of the honeycomb structure, and the cut-out test piece was pulverized into powder. Then, the diffraction pattern of the obtained powder was measured using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Thereafter the crystalline phase contained in the porous body was identified based on the measured diffraction pattern. Then the amount of the identified crystalline phase was determined by a Reference Intensity Ratio (RIR) method.

The content (parts by mass) of the specific impurities with respect to 100 parts by mass of silicon was calculated using the measurement result of the diffraction pattern by XRD descried above in the method for identifying crystalline phases. Specifically, for each crystalline phase including specific impurities out of the crystalline phases identified from the diffraction pattern, the content (mass %) of metal corresponding to the specific impurities was obtained using the atomic weight of each component, whereby the ratio (parts by mass) with respect to 100 parts by mass of silicon was calculated. For instance, when specific impurity A is identified as metal and metal making up silicide, calculation may be performed as in the following expression (1) to obtain the content (parts by mass) of specific impurity A. Since FeSi₂ was detected as specific impurity from the diffraction pattern obtained by XRD, the content (parts by mass) of Fe was obtained through calculation as in the following expression (1)′. Herein, when specific impurity A is identified as metal, calculation may be performed as in the following expression (1) while omitting B in the following expression (1), whereby the content (parts by mass) of specific impurity A can be obtained.

[Math.  1] $\begin{matrix} {\left\lbrack {{Content}\mspace{14mu} {of}\mspace{14mu} {specific}\mspace{14mu} {impurity}\mspace{14mu} A\mspace{14mu} \left( {{part}\mspace{14mu} {by}\mspace{14mu} {mass}} \right)} \right\rbrack = \frac{A + B}{c}} & (1) \\ {\left\lbrack {{Content}\mspace{14mu} {of}\mspace{14mu} {specific}\mspace{14mu} {impurity}\mspace{14mu} A\mspace{14mu} \left( {{part}\mspace{14mu} {by}\mspace{14mu} {mass}} \right)} \right\rbrack = \frac{B}{C}} & (1)^{\prime} \end{matrix}$

A in the above expression (1) and (1)′ denotes the “content (mass %) of specific impurity A as metal included in porous body (crystalline phase)”. B denotes the product of “the content of silicide (mass %) including specific impurity A, included in porous body (crystalline phase)” and “the content (mass %) of specific impurity A in silicide including specific impurity A”. C denotes the sum of “the content (mass %) of silicon included in porous body (crystalline phase)” and “the content (mass %) of silicon forming silicide”.

The mass ratio (amount of oxide) of an oxide included in the porous body was measured by the following method. Firstly, a test piece of a required amount for measurement was cut out from the porous body forming the partition wall of the honeycomb structure, and the cut-out test piece was pulverized into powder. Then, the obtained powder was immersed in hydrofluoric acid so as to elute the oxide included in the porous body into the hydrofluoric acid. The mass ratio (mass %) of the oxide included in the porous body was obtained from a difference between the mass of the powder before elution and the mass of the powder as residue. Herein, the powder as residue refers to the powder that was collected after elution of the oxide into the hydrofluoric acid and then was dried. The mass of oxide was used to calculate the amount (mass %) of silicon phase described later.

The molar composition ratio of the first oxide was measured by the following method. The amount of the hydrofluoric acid solution including the eluted oxide, which was obtained by the method for measuring the content of the oxide of the porous body, was determined by an ICP emission spectrometric analysis technique, whereby the molar composition ratio was obtained.

The amount (mass %) of silicon phase was calculated by the following method. Firstly, the mass of an oxide included in the porous body was obtained in accordance with the aforementioned method for measuring the mass ratio of an oxide included in the porous body. Next, the mass of the oxide was subtracted from the total mass of the porous body, whereby the sum of mass of silicon and non-oxide such as silicide included in the porous body was calculated, and this value was used as the amount of silicon phase (mass %). The calculation expression is shown in the following expression (2).

[Math. 2]

[Amount of silicon phase(mass %)]=100−[Amount of oxide(mass %)]  (2)

The amount of silicon (mass %) was calculated by the following method. The product of the amount of silicon phase (mass %) as stated above and “the amount of silicon (mass %) accounting for in the porous body (crystalline substance)” was obtained and the obtained product was divided by the “total amount (mass %) of silicon, metals other than silicon and silicide accounting for in the porous body (crystalline substance)”. This value was used as the amount of silicon (mass %). A method for calculating the amount of silicon (mass %) is shown in the following expression (3). Herein, the silicide was FeSi₂ from the measurement result of XRD. No metals other than silicon were found in the measurement result of XRD.

[Math.  3] $\begin{matrix} {\left\lbrack {{Amount}\mspace{14mu} {of}\mspace{14mu} {silicon}\mspace{14mu} \left( {{mass}\mspace{14mu} \%} \right)} \right\rbrack = \frac{\left\lbrack {{Amount}\mspace{14mu} {of}\mspace{14mu} {silicon}\mspace{14mu} {phase}\mspace{14mu} \left( {{mass}\mspace{14mu} \%} \right)} \right\rbrack \times D}{E}} & (3) \end{matrix}$

Amount of silicon (mass %) Amount of silicon phase (mass %)

D in the above expression (3) is “the amount of silicon accounting for in porous body (crystalline substance)”. E in the above expression (3) is “the total amount of silicon, metals other than silicon and silicide accounting for in the porous body (crystalline substance)”.

For the obtained porous body forming the partition wall of the honeycomb structure, the bulk density (g/cm³), the porosity (%), the average pore diameter (μm), the thermal diffusivity (mm²/sec), the heat capacity (J/K/cm³), the standard deviation of thickness of skeleton (μm), and the length of skeleton (μm) were obtained. Table 3 shows the results.

The bulk density (g/cm³) and the porosity (%) were measured by the following method. A test piece of a required size for measurement was cut out from the porous body forming the partition wall of the honeycomb structure, and the bulk density (g/cm³) and the porosity (%) of the test piece at room temperature were measured by the Archimedes's method (JIS R 1634). The real density (g/cm³) of the test piece also was obtained by this Archimedes's method.

The average pore diameter (μm) was measured by the following method. A test piece of a required size for measurement was cut out from the porous body forming the partition wall of the honeycomb structure, and the average pore diameter of the test piece was measured by a mercury intrusion technique (JIS R 1655).

The thermal diffusivity (mm²/sec) was measured by the following method. The thermal diffusivity of a porous body at 800° C. was measured by a laser flash method (“TC7000 (product name)” produced by Ulvac-Riko Inc.). The reason for the value of thermal diffusivity at 800° C. was evaluated in the present example as follows. When a honeycomb structure is used as a DPF, the temperature of the filter reaches 600° C. or more due to the combustion of soot trapped during the regeneration of the DPF. Since the influences of thermal diffusivity become noticeable particularly under such a temperature condition, thermal diffusivity was evaluated using the value of thermal diffusivity at 800° C.

The heat capacity (J/K/cm³) was measured by the following method. Firstly, a test piece of a required amount for measurement was cut out from the porous body forming the partition wall of the honeycomb structure, and the cut-out test piece was pulverized into powder. Next, heat capacity (J/K/g) per unit mass of the obtained powder at 400° C. was measured using an insulated specific heat measurement device produced by Ulvac-Riko Inc. Next, the obtained heat capacity (J/K/g) per unit mass was multiplied by the real density (g/cm³) at the room temperature measured by the Archimedes's method, whereby the heat capacity per unit volume (J/K/cm³) was calculated. This means that such heat capacity (J/K/cm³) is the heat capacity of the material itself making up the porous body without considering the pores formed in the porous body. Herein, the reason for the value of heat capacity at 400° C. was evaluated in the present example as follows. When a honeycomb structure is used as a DPF, forced heating till the combustion temperature of soot is about 200 to 600° C. during the regeneration of the DPF. Since the influences of heat capacity become noticeable particularly under such a temperature condition, heat capacity was evaluated using the value of heat capacity at 400° C.

The standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body was obtained as follows. Firstly, a test piece of a required size for measurement was cut out from the porous body forming the partition wall of the honeycomb structure. Next, the cutting plane of the obtained test piece was embedded in resin. Thereafter, the cutting plane of the test piece was ground, and such a cutting plane was observed by a SEM to take a reflecting electron image at 200-fold magnification. The rectangular range of 300 μm×600 μm at the partition wall part of the obtained image was analyzed using image analysis software to calculate standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton. Specifically the obtained SEM image was binarized, and a distance map was created for the part corresponding to a silicon phase as a main phase in the binarized image. Next, the average density at each silicon phase was obtained using the obtained image, and then the average density was used as the thickness of skeleton of the corresponding silicon phase. Then, the standard deviation of the thicknesses of skeleton for the silicon phases was obtained, which was used as the standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body. The image analysis software used was “Image-Pro Plus 7.0J” (product name) produced by Media Cybernetics Inc.

The average of the length of skeleton of the porous body was obtained as follows. Firstly a binarized image was created similarly to the method to obtain the standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body. Next, the center line of each silicon phase was extracted by thinning processing, and each center line was used as the skeleton of the corresponding silicon phase. Then the average of the lengths of skeleton of the silicon phases was used as the average of the length of skeleton of the porous body.

TABLE 3 Average Oxide Standard Average Bulk pore Thermal Heat particle deviation of length of density Porosity diameter diffusivity capacity diameter thickness of skeleton (g/cm³) (%) (μm) (mm²/sec) (J/K/cm³) (μm) skeleton (μm) (μm) Ex. 1 1.57 33 6 8.8 2.08 3.0 0.6 313 Ex. 2 1.49 36 8 7.4 2.03 2.5 0.8 133 Ex. 3 1.64 30 5 8.4 2.14 3.9 0.4 302 Ex. 4 1.72 28 5 7.0 2.29 4.5 0.4 306 Ex. 5 1.48 37 6 8.5 2.09 3.0 0.4 315 Ex. 6 1.56 33 13 8.7 2.09 3.0 0.8 301 Ex. 7 1.44 39 10 6.7 2.11 5.5 0.9 126 Ex. 8 1.39 41 6 6.1 2.09 5.6 0.4 92 Ex. 9 1.52 36 6 6.5 2.11 4.2 0.4 123 Ex. 10 1.67 28 5 7.7 2.07 3.0 0.6 310 Comp. 1.27 46 23 6.0 2.06 — 2.6 81 Ex. 1

Further, the state of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1 was observed using a scanning electron microscope. The observation using a scanning electron microscope was performed as follows. Firstly a test piece of a required size for measurement was cut out from the honeycomb structure. Next, the cutting plane of the obtained test piece was embedded in resin, and the cutting plane of the test piece was ground. Then, the ground plane of the test piece was observed at 200-fold magnification, and at 1,000-fold magnification. FIG. 10 shows a photo taken of a reflecting electron image of the honeycomb structure of Example 1 at 200-fold magnification by a scanning electron microscope. FIG. 11 shows a photo taken of a reflecting electron image of the honeycomb structure of Example 1 at 1,000-fold magnification by a scanning electron microscope. In FIG. 11, S denotes silicide and O denotes oxide.

The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1 was formed by a porous body including a silicon phase as the main phase and an oxide. Then, the oxide included a first oxide made of MgO, Al₂O₃ and SiO₂.

Example 2

In Example 2, silicon raw material powder A was used as the silicon raw material powder. For the forming raw material, 5,000 g of silicon raw material powder A, 50 g of cordierite powder with the average particle diameter of 2 μm, and 350 g of methylcellulose as binder as well as appropriate amount of water added were prepared. Then a honeycomb structure was obtained using the obtained forming raw material similarly to Example 1 other than that the temperature condition for firing was changed as follows. Firing in Example 2 was performed under the firing condition a.

Example 3

In Example 3, a honeycomb structure was obtained similarly to Example 2 other than that the amount of cordierite powder to be added to the forming raw material was changed to 739 g, and the temperature condition for firing was changed as follows. Firing in Example 3 was performed, including temperature rising to 1,200° C. in 2 hours firstly, followed by temperature rising to 1,380° C. in 60 hours and then the temperature was kept at 1,380° C. for 2 hours. Firing was performed in the Ar atmosphere. Hereinafter this temperature condition for firing is called “firing condition b”.

Example 4

In Example 4, a honeycomb structure was obtained similarly to Example 3 other than that the amount of cordierite powder to be added to the forming raw material was changed to 1,950 g.

Example 5

In Example 5, a honeycomb structure was obtained similarly to Example 1 other than that the silicon raw material powder was changed into silicon raw material powder C, and the temperature condition for firing was changed as follows. Firing in Example 5 was performed, including temperature rising to 1,200° C. in 2 hours firstly, followed by temperature rising to 1,400° C. in 20 hours and then the temperature was kept at 1,400° C. for 2 hours. Firing was performed in the Ar atmosphere. Hereinafter this temperature condition for firing is called “firing condition c”.

Example 6

In Example 6, a honeycomb structure was obtained similarly to Example 1 other than that the silicon raw material powder was changed into silicon raw material powder B.

Example 7

In Example 7, a honeycomb structure was obtained similarly to Example 1 other than that the forming raw material was prepared as follows. The forming raw material was prepared by including 5,000 g of silicon raw material powder A, 57 g of MgO powder, 93 g of Al(OH)₃ powder, 151 g of silica sol, 50 g of montmorillonite powder, and 350 g of methylcellulose as binder as well as appropriate amount of water added. The average particle diameter of the MgO powder was 3 μm, and the average particle diameter of the Al(OH)₃ powder was 2 μm. The solid content of the silica sol was 40%.

Example 8

In Example 8, a honeycomb structure was obtained similarly to Example 1 other than that the forming raw material was prepared as follows. The forming raw material was prepared by including 5,000 g of silicon raw material powder A, 210 g of SrCO₃ powder, 93 g of Al(OH)₃ powder, 151 g of silica sol, 50 g of montmorillonite powder, and 350 g of methylcellulose as binder as well as appropriate amount of water added. The average particle diameter of the SrCO₃ powder was 2 μm, and the average particle diameter of the Al(OH)₃ powder was 2 μm. The solid content of the silica sol was 40%.

Example 9

In Example 9, a honeycomb structure was obtained similarly to Example 1 other than that the forming raw material was prepared as follows. The forming raw material was prepared by including 5,000 g of silicon raw material powder A, 281 g of BaCO₃ powder, 93 g of Al(OH)₃ powder, 151 g of silica sol, 50 g of montmorillonite powder, and 350 g of methylcellulose as binder as well as appropriate amount of water added. The average particle diameter of the BaCO₃ powder was 2 μm, and the average particle diameter of the Al(OH)₃ powder was 2 μm. The solid content of the silica sol was 40%.

Example 10

In Example 10, a honeycomb structure was firstly obtained by the method similar to Example 1. Then, the obtained honeycomb structure was heat-treated so as to form an oxide made of SiO₂ at the surface of the silicon phase as the main phase of the porous body. The heat treatment was performed in the atmosphere of air at the temperature of 1,250° C. For Example 10, a test piece was cut out from the porous body forming the partition wall of the obtained honeycomb structure, and the fracture plane of the obtained test piece was observed using a SEM. The result of this observation showed that a substance assumed as the second-form oxide at the surface of the silicon phase, and then the element thereof was specified using an EDS. As a result, Si and O were detected at the surface of the silicon phase, and Si only was detected inside of the silicon phase, and so it was determined that SiO₂ was present at the surface of the silicon phase. That is, SiO₂ in the second form was present in the honeycomb structure of Example 10.

Comparative Example 1

In Comparative Example 1, silicon raw material powder A was used as the silicon raw material powder. A honeycomb structure was obtained similarly to Example 1 other than that the forming raw material thereof was prepared by including 5,000 g of silicon raw material powder A and 350 g of methylcellulose as binder as well as appropriate amount of water added, and the temperature condition for firing was changed as follows. Firing in Comparative Example 1 was performed, including temperature rising to 1,200° C. in 2 hours firstly, followed by temperature rising to 1,380° C. in 0.5 hour and then the temperature was kept at 1,380° C. for 2 hours. Firing was performed in the Ar atmosphere. The state of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Comparative Example 1 was observed using a scanning electron microscope. The observation using a scanning electron microscope was performed similarly to Example 1. FIG. 12 shows a photo taken of a reflecting electron image of the honeycomb structure of Comparative Example 1 at 200-fold magnification by a scanning electron microscope.

(Results)

The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1 had small standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body and had a large average of the length of skeleton of the porous body as compared with the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Comparative Example 1. The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1 had low porosity as compared with the porosity of the honeycomb structure of Comparative Example 1. The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1 had a small average pore diameter as compared with the average pore diameter of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Comparative Example 1. Further, the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1 had a molar composition ratio of the first oxide that was Mg (alkali earth metal oxide)/Al=33/67. Due to such a microstructure of the porous body achieved, the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1 had high thermal diffusivity.

The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 2 had small content of the oxide including the first oxide as compared with the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1. In the first oxide of the honeycomb structure of Example 2, the alkali earth metal was Mg. The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 2 had large standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body and had a small average of the length of skeleton of the porous body as compared with the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1. The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 2 had high porosity as compared with the porosity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1. Therefore the partition wall had low thermal diffusivity as compared with the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1, but had high thermal diffusivity as compared with the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Comparative Example 1 that did not include the first oxide.

The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 3 had large content of the oxide including the first oxide as compared with the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1. In the first oxide of the honeycomb structure of Example 3, the alkali earth metal was Mg. The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 3 had low porosity as compared with the porosity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1, but thermal diffusivity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 3 was lowered slightly.

The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 4 had considerably large content of the oxide including the first oxide as compared with the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 3. In the first oxide of the honeycomb structure of Example 4, the alkali earth metal was Mg. The porosity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 4 was lowered as compared with the porosity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 3. The thermal diffusivity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 4 was lowered largely as compared with the thermal diffusivity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 3.

The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 5 had large content of silicon included in the silicon phase as the main phase, and had small content of specific impurities as compared with the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1. Therefore, sintering property of the silicon phase as the main phase was lowered, and the porosity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 5 was increased as compared with the porosity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1. In the first oxide of the honeycomb structure of Example 5, the alkali earth metal was Mg.

In the honeycomb structure of Example 6, silicon of the silicon raw material particles as the silicon phase as the main phase had a large average particle diameter as compared with the average particle diameter of silicon of the silicon raw material particles as the silicon phase as the main phase in the honeycomb structure of Example 1. Therefore, the average pore diameter of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 6 increased as compared with the average pore diameter of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1. In the first oxide of the honeycomb structure of Example 6, the alkali earth metal was Mg.

The honeycomb structure of Example 7 included MgO, Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ as the first oxide, but did not have cordierite composition. The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 7 had a molar composition ratio of the first oxide that was Mg (alkali earth metal oxide)/Al=51/49. The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 7 had large standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body and had a small average of the length of skeleton of the porous body as compared with the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1. The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 7 had high porosity as compared with the porosity of the honeycomb structure of Example 1. Therefore the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 7 had decreased thermal diffusivity as compared with the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1 in which the first oxide had cordierite composition, but had high thermal diffusivity as compared with the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Comparative Example 1 that did not include the first oxide.

The honeycomb structure of Example 8 included SrO, Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ as the first oxide. The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 8 had a molar composition ratio of the first oxide that was Sr (alkali earth metal oxide)/Al=50/50. Therefore the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 8 had increased porosity as compared with the porosity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1, and the thermal diffusivity was decreased. However, the thermal diffusivity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 8 was higher than the thermal diffusivity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Comparative Example 1. Further, since the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 8 had small standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body, it is expected to have high strength of the honeycomb structure and high trapping performance when the honeycomb structure is used as a filter.

The honeycomb structure of Example 9 included BaO, Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ as the first oxide. The partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 9 had a molar composition ratio of the first oxide that was Ba (alkali earth metal oxide)/A1=50/50. Therefore the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 9 had increased porosity as compared with the porosity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 1, and the thermal diffusivity was decreased. However, the thermal diffusivity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 9 was higher than the thermal diffusivity of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Comparative Example 1. Further, since the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Example 9 had small standard deviation of the thickness of skeleton of the porous body, it is expected to have high strength of the honeycomb structure and high trapping performance when the honeycomb structure is used as a filter.

Since the honeycomb structure of Example 10 was heat treated, an oxide made of SiO₂ was formed at the surface of the silicon phase as the main phase of the porous body, and so it is expected to have high heat resistance as compared with the honeycomb structure of Example 1. In the first oxide of the honeycomb structure of Example 10, the alkali earth metal was Mg.

Since the partition wall of the honeycomb structure of Comparative Example 1 did not contain a first oxide, it had high porosity and low thermal diffusivity, and had poor microstructure of the porous body. Therefore, the honeycomb structure of Comparative Example 1 is expected to have low strength of the honeycomb structure and such trapping performance when the honeycomb structure is used as a filter.

The honeycomb structure of the present invention is available as an exhaust-gas purification filter to purify exhaust gas and as a catalyst carrier.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1, 21, 41, 61: partition wall -   2, 22, 42, 62: cell -   22 a: cell (predetermined cell) -   22 b: cell (residual cell) -   3, 23, 43, 63: circumferential wall -   4, 24, 44, 64: honeycomb structure body -   11, 31, 51, 71: first end face -   12, 32, 52, 72: second end face -   25: plugging portion -   46: honeycomb segment -   47: bonding layer -   48: outer wall (outer wall of honeycomb segment) -   69: electrode member -   S: silicide -   O: oxide -   100, 200, 300, 400: honeycomb structure 

What is claimed is:
 1. A honeycomb structure, comprising a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having a porous partition wall, wherein the honeycomb structure body includes a plurality of cells defined by the partition wall so as to extend from a first end face to a second end face of the honeycomb structure body, the partition wall is formed by a porous body including a silicon phase as a main phase and an oxide, and the oxide includes a first oxide made of an alkali earth metal oxide, Al₂O₃, and SiO₂.
 2. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the porous body includes 80 mass % or more of the silicon phase as the main phase.
 3. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the alkali earth metal oxide is MgO.
 4. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the first oxide has a molar composition ratio that is alkali earth metal/Al=20/80 to 60/40.
 5. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the porous body includes 1 to 20 mass % of the oxide.
 6. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein in a first form of the silicon phase and the oxide present in the porous body, the silicon phase as the main phase includes a plurality of silicon particles, and the oxide is present between the plurality of silicon particles.
 7. The honeycomb structure according to claim 6, wherein the oxide in the first form has a particle diameter of 5 μm or less.
 8. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein in a second form of the silicon phase and the oxide present in the porous body, the oxide is present at a surface of the silicon phase as the main phase.
 9. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the oxide includes a second oxide made of SiO₂.
 10. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the oxide includes any one or more of cordierite and cristobalite.
 11. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the silicon phase as the main phase includes at least one of metals other than silicon and silicide, and content of each of the metals included in the silicon phase and metals making up the silicide is 0.3 to 10 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of silicon.
 12. The honeycomb structure according to claim 11, wherein the silicon phase as the main phase includes, as the metals other than silicon and the metals making up silicide, at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ca, Al, Ti, and Zr.
 13. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the porous body has standard deviation of a thickness of skeleton that is 2 μm or less.
 14. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the porous body has an average of a length of skeleton that is 90 μm or more.
 15. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the porous body has porosity of 25 to 65%.
 16. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the porous body has an average pore diameter of 5 to 40 μm.
 17. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, further comprising a plugging portion at the first end face and the second end face of the honeycomb structure body so as to plug an open end of at least one of the cells.
 18. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the honeycomb structure body is formed by a honeycomb segment bonded member including a plurality of honeycomb segments that are bonded while being displaced adjacent to each other so that side faces thereof are opposed.
 19. The honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the honeycomb structure body includes a circumferential wall disposed so as to surround circumference of the honeycomb structure body, and the circumferential wall has a pair of electrode members. 